System for real time attendance from a remote game site to a game going on at a relocated game site

ABSTRACT

A system for real time attendance, from a remote game site, at a game going on at relocated game site.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. § 120 ofInternational Application No. PCT/IB2016/052404, filed Apr. 28, 2016,which claims priority to Italian Application No. RM2015A000181, filedApr. 28, 2015, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a). Each of the above-referencedpatent applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system for real time attendance, froma remote game site, at a game going on at relocated game site.

Description of the Related Technology

In particular, the aim set by the present disclosure is to allow theattendance at a game, in real time and remotely, with respect to arelocated site wherein the game is going on in reality, by favoring thegame experience and by simplifying it from a technical point of view.

This is obtained through a system as disclosed herein.

Additional features of the disclosed embodiments are described below.

The advantages, together with the features and use modes of thedisclosed embodiments, are evident from the following detaileddescription, shown by way of example and not for limitative purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplifying scheme of a system according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 2A an exemplifying view of a remote site room according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 2B is a schematization of a remote game site according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the flow of the gamers' moneyused in the game activity, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a room code of the QR-Code type, identifying the gametable, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows the interface of a game table of the remote game site, incase the user is playing at a roulette game, according to oneembodiment; and

FIG. 6 shows a game table of the remote game site, according to oneembodiment.

The present disclosure will be described hereinafter by making referenceto the above-mentioned figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure aims at promoting the real time game, bycomplying with the provisions of the legislation and of the regulationsin public game matters, inside rooms placed in game sites, which areremote with respect to a relocated site where the game is actually goingon. In particular, according to one embodiment, the games which will bepromoted in the starting phase of the plan are roulette and baccarat.

However it is provided that Punto Banco game and on-line black jack gamewill be added to the on-line baccarat game.

Example elements one aims at for re-creating a game context which iscomfortable as much as possible and suitable for promoting the on-linegame include:

1. a real time attendance at the game sessions of the relocated site;

2. a furnishing of the remote site adequate to the promoted on-line gameservices, apt to re-create the environment of the relocated site;

3. a game use mode favoring the involvement of the gamers and thesocialization thereof.

Below, aspects for the description of the plan are analyzed. Inparticular, the game cycle is described.

By making firstly reference to FIG. 1, a schematization of a systemaccording to the present invention is shown.

In general terms, a system 1 for the real time attendance, from a remotegame site 2, at a game going on at relocated game site 3, comprisesmeans 4, 6 for the audio and video reproduction of recordings of therelocated game site 3, at said remote game site 2, and means 5 forvirtually repeating, in said remote game site 2, a game surface 10existing in said relocated game site 3.

Furthermore, the system comprises one or more interface devices 20 aptto allow an interaction between a gamer and said game surface 10existing in said relocated game site 3.

In order to make clear the modes therewith one wants to promote the realtime remote game, the complete cycle which is performed by the gamer inthis context is described hereinafter.

The cycle starts when a gamer enters the room of the remote site 2(shown in FIG. 2A) and, after acquiring the information reported insidethe room and after viewing the live game session, coming from therelocated site 3, projected on one or more monitors/tv sets 4 of theroom itself, wishes to attend the game.

To this purpose the system provides the use of one or more interfacedevices 20 which, by way of example, may comprise at least aprogrammable electronic device of wireless type, for example asmartphone, or a tablet, or the like.

Each programmable electronic device comprises a display, and it isconfigured for reproducing on said display information related to thegame surface 10 existing in the relocated game site 3.

Furthermore, advantageously, the programmable electronic device isprogrammed so as to allow the gamer to attend the game from said remotesite 2.

For example, by exploiting current smartphones (or tablets or the like),the gamer is allowed, following registration on a web platform, todownload an Application for accessing the game on his/her own smartphoneor tablet (hereinafter such Application will be referred to with theshort term App).

At this point, the gamer may load the funds he/she wishes on his/her owngame account and he/she is ready to attend the available games.

As previously mentioned, the means 4 for the audio and videoreproduction comprises one or more cameras 6 arranged at the relocatedgame site 3 and/or one or more monitors/tv sets arranged at the remotegame site 2.

In this way, in order to improve the game experience of the gamer, thelive broadcast of the game session really performed by a croupieroperating at the relocated side 3, is made available on a big monitor/tvset, which the gamer may attend through his/her own game App availableon his/her own mobile device (smartphone or tablet or the like). Forexample, in case of the roulette game, the gamer has available onhis/her own mobile device an App reproducing chips and game table,therethrough he/she may perform bets by touching the table area ofinterest.

FIG. 2B shows, schematically, the main components of a remote game site2 according to one embodiment.

In particular, a cash station 100 is shown, which will be handled by anoperator of the game site 2, usable for example by the gamers for thepreliminary procedures of loading funds onto their own game account.

The cash station 100 provides a personal computer 101, thereto a scanner102 and a printer 103 are advantageously connected for theadministrative type requirements (registration of gamers, scanning ofidentity documents, etc.). The cash station 100 could further beequipped with a router 104 (preferably of wireless type) for accessing alocal network.

Furthermore, in order to improve the game experience of the gamer and topromote the socialization with other people present in the room, insidethe same there are means for virtually repeating the game surface 10.Said means comprises a game table 5, also shown in FIG. 2B.

The game table 5 is equipped with apparatuses for implementing thefunction thereof of repeating the game surface 10. In particular, thegame table 5 comprises a horizontal, preferably high-definition monitor,whereon an image is reproduced, shown by way of example in FIG. 5,updated in real time, of the game surface 10, existing in the relocatedgame site 3, and a QR-Code of the room identifying the table, shown byway of example in FIG. 4.

Thanks to the help of such means, each bet performed by the gamerthrough his/her own App is repeated even onto the horizontal monitor,which reproduces the game layout of the roulette itself (FIG. 5). Saidhorizontal monitor has no interactive feature, but it reproducesexclusively what made individually by each gamer on his/her own mobiledevice.

Furthermore, as it is still visible in FIG. 2B, the game table 5 in turncomprises apparatuses to be connected, preferably in wireless mode, tothe local network and, by means of internet, to the relocated game site.To this purpose, a processor 200 may be provided, thereto an accesspoint 201, for the connection to Internet, and a router 204, for theconnection to the local network, are connected, for example by means ofa switch 203.

Furthermore, an additional monitor 300, arranged in the room of theremote game site 2, may be connected to the processor 200, in case bymeans of an additional personal computer 202, for enjoying a livebroadcast by the gamers and/or other present people. Other multimediadevices, such as for example loudspeaker baffles 301, may be connectedto the monitor.

Advantageously, by means of the cash PC 101, positioned in the cashstation, the operator is capable to handle the devices constituting thesystem. For example, he/she could turn off and/or re-start the table,turn-off or re-start the PC for the live broadcast, change the camerafor displaying the live broadcast from the casino.

The game table 5 inside the room has a shape very similar to that of areal casino-like table (FIG. 6).

Said table is capable of improving the game experience of the gamer byfavoring the socialization thereof with other people present in theroom, by allowing the following procedures:

receiving the gamers and the devices and drinks thereof;

reproducing the QR-Code of the room identifying the table;

reproducing the layout for the performed casino-like game bets;

reproducing the winning number (or the hand) and of the game statistics;

reproducing the bets performed by the gamers present in the room.

Furthermore, it is equipped with stools to make the gamers to sit downaround the periphery thereof, by offering the latter the possibility ofpositioning their own drinks in suitable housing and resting easilytheir own smartphones or tablets during the succession of the severalgame sessions.

At the end of the game, the gamer who wishes to withdraw the fundsexisting on his/her own game account may do it by using thetechnological infrastructures supporting the electronic moneyinstruments existing in the room itself.

Phase for Registering on the Web Platform

The mechanism provided for registering the gamer onto the web platform,according to one embodiment, is the following.

The not registered gamer goes to a registration point (or cash station),wherein it provides to an operator his/her own identity card, fiscalcode, mobile phone number and e-mail address.

The operator positions the documents under an OCR and the recordingsoftware acquires the included data and uses them to compile,automatically, a customer registration form, apart from the possibilityof inserting possible missing data, such as for example e-mail address,by an operator in manual mode.

Furthermore, the software, still automatically, generates a username(obtained by means a code for processing the customer data) and apassword, not visible by the operator himself/herself.

In this phase, the operator's software interacts with that of the Webplatform to verify the correctness and uniqueness of the entered data.In particular, username and password are checked, which, if validated,are proposed to the customer printed on a receipt.

Once the data have been validated, the customer enters username andpassword—by copying them from the print received from the operator—ontothe App to perform the first access. With such identifying credentials,the App downloads and proposes to the customer the corresponding gamecontract which may be accepted as in case of a software license.

After the contract acceptance, which is communicated to the system byelectronic means, the gamer is registered on the game platform.

Step of Downloading and Starting the App for Accessing the Game

As said previously, in order to access the on-line game platform, thegamer downloads an App on his/her own device, by following theinstructions provided to him by the operator at a registration point,which will have also indicated how activating and configuring the room'sWi-Fi connection on his/her own device.

The game App is the App which the gamer has available on his/her ownsmartphone or tablet or the like (both of Android and iOS type) toattend the on-line game session inside the room. Substantially, the gameApp allows the following procedures:

associating the user to the room game table by scanning a QR-Code;

selecting the color of the chips therewith the bets performed by theuser will be reproduced onto the game table;

accessing the game;

detecting and sending the bets performed by the user to the game table.

Once downloaded and started the App for accessing the game, this shows ascreen allowing the user to decide if he/she wants to play in a roomarranged to house the game system, together with other users, or to playon his/her own (for example staying at home). In the first case(“Accessing the game with QR Code”), the user accesses the screen forscanning the room QR-Code, whereas, in the second case (“Accessingdirectly the game”), the user is redirected directly to the loginscreen.

In order to play in the room, a picture of the QR-Code reproduced ontothe horizontal screen 5 of the table existing in the room itself isacquired.

When the user selects the item “Accessing the game with QR-Code”, theApp searches for and connects automatically to the dedicated Wi-Finetwork, thus allowing to detect the user in the specific game room and,still, to associate the user to the specific game table.

However, the use of proximity mechanisms alternative to the QR-Code,such as the detection of the room's Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth, orultrasounds may be provided.

After having acquired the QR-Code, at first a screen is open forselecting the color therewith the chips will be reproduced onto the gametable and then directly the screen is open for inserting thecredentials. Once inserted such credentials, the customer may even tickoff the option for storing the same, so that for future accesses it isno more necessary to re-enter them.

The first time it performs the login, the game App shows to the customerthe game contract which may be accepted simply by pressing on a suitablebutton.

On the contrary, the subsequent times the user could perform the accessby simply pressing the login button without having the contract to bere-proposed or having to enter again his/her own credentials, if theprevious time he/she has ticked off the option for storing the same.

After acquiring the QR-Code and inserting the credentials (username andpassword), the game App goes in background, it launches automaticallythe browser to the address including the game application and it mapsall bets performed by the customer on the game interface. From thismoment on, in fact, all actions performed by the user on such interface(bets included) are intercepted by the app in background and sentinstantaneously to the game table by allowing the reproduction thereofon it.

Thanks to the rapidity therewith information is intercepted andtransmitted by the App to the table (less than 0.2 sec), and thesimilarity between interface on the table and on the App allowing toperform the game, the gamer has the feeling to “put down” the game chiponto the table by using his/her own smartphone or tablet or the like.

Step of Loading the Game Account

The loading of the game account takes place according to the followingmechanism, according to one embodiment, shown schematically in FIG. 3.

The customer refills cash funds on his/her own card at the room operatorand moves the wished funds from his/her own card onto the licensee's oneby using the dedicated App, allowing him/her to define the amount to bemoved.

The licensee receives a notification of occurred crediting of thecustomer funds, therethrough it is possible automatically to proceedwith reloading the game account of the latter.

In the game App a user menu is integrated allowing to access quickly theinformation of the game account, to withdraw other funds from theaccount and to bring them onto the game, to access information of theresponsible game and to perform the logout.

Step of Detecting the Customer Near the Room/Table

The detection of the gamers in the room takes place in the followingway.

The gamer, by means of the App for accessing the game, takes a pictureof the QR-Code reproduced automatically onto the horizontal monitorexisting onto the room table. The App sends to the table the username ofthe gamer, which thus results to be detected in that specific room.

As already said, the use of proximity mechanisms alternative to theQR-Code may however be provided, such as the detection of the room Wi-Finetwork, Bluetooth, or ultrasound.

Gaming Step (Example of the Roulette Game)

The gamer attends the game session, by following live what happens inthe relocated site 3, transmitted for example by means of twomonitors/tv sets present in the room 2, one positioned vertically 4 andthe other one positioned horizontally onto the table 5. In particular:

onto the vertical monitor/tv set 4 the croupier's instructions aretransmitted, who may perform a variety of actions, such as for exampledeclaring the open or closed game, showing the launch of small ball inthe roulette and communicating the final result in the game session;

onto the horizontal monitor/tv set 5 the layout for the bets isreproduced, wherein all bets performed by the gamers during the gamesession are represented.

The communication system transmits to the vertical monitor in the roomthe live game sessions from the relocated site 3 for example by means ofa satellite streaming or Internet connection.

Onto the vertical monitor even:

the roulette cylinder, in rotation, to show the gamer the image of thesmall ball which stops on the winning number;

the chronology of the last extracted numbers and the game statistics aredisplayed.

The live broadcasting of the game sessions is made available in order toimprove the game experience of the gamer by allowing:

the display of the live broadcasting of the game sessions from therelocated site 3;

the diffusion of casino sounds associated to the live broadcast (soundof the small ball in the roulette cylinder, sound of the playing cards,croupier voice).

On the contrary, onto the horizontal monitor space is left to thedisplay of chips and the layout for the bets.

By means of the control panel made available for the operator in thecash station, in the room one could decide if adding to the live displaya “blinking” animation for the last released numbers existing in thepanel of statistics. Furthermore, the room operator could decide ifhe/she wants to display the statistics next to the live video, todisplay the live broadcast from the casino only or to display thestatistics only.

It should be recalled that the game play takes place exclusively throughthe dedicated App on smartphone or tablet or the like. The table presentin the room may be used only to implement a visual effect. Inparticular, the gamer starts the game App installed on his/her ownsmartphone or tablet or the like, he/she takes a picture of the QR-Codeand selects the color of the chips therewith his/her own bets will bereproduced onto the game table 5. The user may choose a determined coloramong the available ones, or decide if making him/her to be assigned onein a casual way. In the first case, the user is sent directly to thegame application, whereas in the second case (by selecting the function“Skip this passage”), the user is assigned a casual chip color, whichhe/she may decide to be confirmed or modified.

At this point, the App re-addresses the user automatically to thewebsite managed by the licensee wherein, by entering his/her owncredentials, he/she accesses the game application. The latter allows toperform all possible practiced on-line casino game bets and to displayexclusively his/her own bets.

In practice, the gamer displays on the App game interface the gamelayout and all chips available for the bets and first of all, to performa bet, he/she has to select the chip and then the selected bet option.The game interface on smartphone or tablet or the like reproducesexactly the layout of the running game and it is almost identical inshape and color to that on the monitor embedded in the table 5.

The reproduction of the bets performed on line by the gamers on the roomtable is possible thanks to a Web Service, dialoguing with a centralsystem, in turn connected to the table software, to define:

the table status;

the winning number;

all game information relating usual gamers present in the room.

The game App provides to the game, via Wi-Fi, information on username ofthe gamers detected near the latter and those relating the betsperformed by them. The game table communicates to the central system theusername of the detected gamers, so as to receive, apart from theinformation related to the table status and the winning number, eventhat on the bets accepted only by the gamers really present in the room.

The table status shows when the game is open or closed, that is when thegamers' bets have to be, or do not have to be, reproduced onto themonitor/tv set. This avoids that the bet performed by a gamer, when thegame is closed, is however displayed onto the table, notwithstanding ithas not been accepted by the game platform.

In the game table user messages were added to alert the customer of theimminent closing of the bets or the closing of the same.

At the end of the game session, the central system communicates to thetable the winning number and the box of the winning number or handstarts flashing on the game table, together with all chips of thewinning bets, whereas statistics are updated. At this point, all losingbets disappear from the table, wherein only the winning ones remain.When the central system communicates the start of a new game session tothe table, the flashing of the extracted number stops and the winningbets disappear from the table.

Substantially, according to one embodiment, the mechanism forreproducing the bets is the following one.

As soon as the gamer performs a bet onto the platform of the game App,the latter, by means of a communication system (for example of Wi-Fitype), transmits it to the game table, whereon it is reproduced exactly,so that all gamers present in the room and those attending the same gamesession may view it.

If a gamer is no longer connected to the Wi-Fi of the VLT room, he/shecould no longer interact with the game table and the bets he/sheperforms will no longer be reproduced thereon.

The bets of the several gamers are reproduced onto the game table withchips with different colors, depending upon the color selected by eachone of them on the App. In this way, the chips of each gamer on the gametable corresponds a unique color and each one is able to distinguishtheir bets from those performed by the other ones. The game tablereproduces immediately the bet performed in a temporary flashing state.When the table has received the message of occurred bet acceptance, sentby the central system, the reproduced chips will cease to flash, to showthat the bet has been accepted and it results to be valid. On thecontrary, if within a certain period of time the table does not receivethe message of occurred bet acceptance, the reproduced chips disappear,to show that the bet has not been accepted.

Mode for Withdrawing Funds from the Game Account

In order to give the gamer the possibility of withdrawing the fundspresent on his/her own game account, the following procedure, accordingto one embodiment, is provided.

The customer who wants to withdraw the funds from his/her own gameaccount forwards the request thereof to the licensee by means of thededicated App, which allows him/her to define the amount to be withdrawnfrom the card of the licensee dedicated to the withdrawal, in order todeposit it onto his/her own reloadable card.

The licensee receives a notification of the customer request and, onceverified the presence of sufficient funds onto the game account of thelatter, at first moves the requested funds from the game account tohis/her own card, then from his/her own card to that of the customer.

In that moment the customer may go to the room operator and may withdrawcash funds from his/her own card.

Aspects of one exemplary embodiment:

1. It is a system 1 for the real time attendance from a remote game site2 at a game going on at relocated game site 3, comprising:

means for the audio and video reproduction 4, 6 of recordings of therelocated game site 3 at said remote game site 2;

means 5 for virtually repeating in said remote game site 2 a gamesurface 10 existing in said relocated game site 3; and

one or more interface devices 20 apt to allow an interaction between thegamer and said game surface existing in said relocated game site.

2. The system according to the aspect 1, wherein said means for theaudio and video reproduction comprises one or more cameras 6 arranged atsaid relocated game site 3 and/or one or more monitor 4 arranged at saidremote game site 2.

3. The system according to the aspect 1 or 2, wherein said repeatingmeans comprises a game table 5 the surface thereof comprises a monitorwhereon the real-time updated image of the game surface existing in saidrelocated game site is reproduced.

4. The system according to one of the previous aspects, wherein said oneor more interface devices 20 comprise at least a programmable electronicdevice of wireless type.

5. The system according to the aspect 4, wherein said programmableelectronic device 6 a smartphone, or a tablet, or the like.

6. The system according to the aspect 4 or 5, wherein said programmableelectronic device comprises a display and it is programmed forreproducing on the display information related to the game surfaceexisting in said relocated game site.

7. The system according to one of the aspects 4 to 6, wherein saidprogrammable electronic device is programmed so as to allow the gamer toattend the game from said remote site.

8. The system according to one of the previous aspects, wherein saidgame is the roulette game, the baccarat game, “Punto Banco” or the blackjack game or variations thereof.

The present disclosure has been so far described with reference toexemplary embodiments thereof. It is to be meant that each one of thetechnical solutions implemented in the disclosed embodiments, hereindescribed by way of example, may advantageously be combined, indifferent way with respect to what described, with the other ones, tocreate additional embodiments, belonging to the same inventive core andhowever all within the protective scope of the herebelow reportedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for real time attendance, of one or moreusers from a remote game site, at a game going on at a relocated gamesite where a game surface exists, the system comprising: one or morecameras arranged at the relocated game site, for producing audio/videorecordings of the relocated game site; one or more monitors configuredto provide an audio and video reproduction of the recordings of therelocated game site at the remote game site; a game table located at theremote game site, the game table configured to virtually reproduce thegame surface from the relocated game site and the game table including amonitor whereon the real-time updated image of the game surface existingin said relocated game site is reproduced; and a proximity mechanismconfigured to detect one or more interface devices and allow the one ormore interface devices to interact with the game table; wherein one ormore of the one or more interface devices comprises at least aprogrammable electronic device of wireless type; and wherein each ofsaid programmable electronic devices is programmed so as to allow therespective user to attend the game at said relocated game site whilebets performed by the respective user will be reproduced onto the gametable at said remote game site.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereindetection of the one or more interface devices is based upon a QR-code,wherein the monitor of the game table located at the remote game site isadapted for reproducing the QR-Code of the room identifying the gametable and each of the programmable electronic devices being adapted forassociating the respective user to the relocated game site upon scanningand processing the QR-Code.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein adetection of the one or more interface devices is based upon a use of aWi-Fi network.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or moremonitors comprises two monitors, each configured to provide differentvideo reproductions of the recordings of the relocated game site at theremote game site.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor of thegame table located at the remote game site is arranged horizontally. 6.The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is asmartphone or tablet.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or moreprogrammable electronic devices comprises a display, and is programmedfor reproducing on the display information related to the game surfaceexisting in said relocated game site.
 8. The system of claim 1, whereinthe one or more interface devices is configured to accept accessinformation of the user.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the game isroulette.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more interfacedevices provides a selector for selecting a color of chips, wherein betsof each respective user are displayed as chips having unique color todistinguish their bets from those performed by other users.
 11. A systemcomprising: one or more cameras arranged at a relocated game site forproducing recordings of the relocated game site including a game surfaceand a game taking place; means for the audio and video reproduction ofsaid recordings of the relocated game site at a remote game site; meansfor virtually repeating in said remote game site the game surfaceexisting in said relocated game site, wherein said means for virtuallyrepeating comprises a game table, wherein the surface thereof comprisesa monitor whereon a real time updated image of the game surface existingin said relocated game site is reproduced; and a proximity mechanismadapted to detect one or more interface devices at said remote game siteand for associating the one or more interface devices to the gamesurface thereby allowing a respective user of the interface device toattend the game at said relocated game site while bets performed by therespective user on the interface device will be reproduced onto the gametable at said remote game site.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein saidto detect the one or more interface devices at the remote game site andthe association of the one or more interface devices to the game tableis based upon a QR-code which is shown at the remote game site and readby said one or more interface devices.
 13. The system of claim 11,wherein said means for the audio and video reproduction comprises one ormore monitors arranged at the remote game site.
 14. The system of claim11, wherein the one or more interface devices is a smartphone or tablet.15. The system of claim 14, wherein the smartphone or tablet comprises adisplay and is programmed for reproducing on the display informationrelated to the game surface existing in said relocated game site. 16.The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more interface devicescomprises means for inserting access information, and is further adaptedfor launching automatically a browser with the address of a gameapplication of the relocated game site and for recording each bet madeby the user onto a game interface.
 17. The system of claim 11, whereinthe game is baccarat.
 18. The system of claim 11, wherein the game isroulette and wherein the one or more interface devices provide aselector for selecting the color of chips, wherein bets of eachrespective user are displayed as chips having unique color todistinguish their bets from those performed by other users.
 19. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein the programmable electronic devices uponscanning and processing a QR-Code are in addition re-addressed to awebsite for entering the respective user's own credentials for accessingthe game of the relocated game site.